


The ghost i can't remember

by Purple_Pelican (The_Dark_Is_Afraid_Of_Me)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang is a sweet brainless boi, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angsty Schmoop, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Character Turned Into a Ghost, Gay Zuko (Avatar), If you squint you can see Kataang, Katara never believes anyone and i kinda wanna hit her for it, M/M, Murder, Past Lives, Past Medieval setting, Prince Zuko - Freeform, The funny thing about love, They are in their early twenties, Toph is lowkey just existing, ghost zuko, have aang cuss, i just wanna punch her, no beta we die like jet, scratch that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-25 21:41:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30095550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Dark_Is_Afraid_Of_Me/pseuds/Purple_Pelican
Summary: “It’s funny how you can recognise the one you best love by their eyes. I could never forget your eyes. Even when you come back in every lifetime. Your eyes are always the same blue sea.” With that Zuko smiled, leaning down and pressing a freezing kiss into Sokka’s forehead. “I could never forget you even if you have long forgotten me and you have to meet me all over again. I will never forget you.”orSokka and the Gaang take a tour in the old palace rumored to be haunted by the dead prince that was murdered there.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 37





	The ghost i can't remember

“Are you lost?” 

The question caught Sokka off guard. A hand coming to rest gently on his shoulder. He was lost. It felt like he was going insane in this maze of a palace. It brought a relief to know someone had found him. “Yeah, I am lost. I’m trying to find my friends. We were on a tour and I had stopped to look at a painting and when I looked again they had just vanished.” The man smiled and nodded. A gentle chuckle as gentle as his touch fell from his lips, like music to Sokka’s ears. 

“I understand. Your friends haven’t gone far actually. If you go down this hall and take a left you’ll find them in the foyer looking for you. I passed them on my way here.” Relief hit Sokka like a bullet train. 

“Oh spirits thank you. I thought I was going crazy in these halls. I’m Sokka by the way.” The man nods. 

“I’m Zuko, and it was no problem. I hope you enjoy the rest of the tour. This palace is truly beautiful at this time of the year. I suggest to see the gardens after. The fire lilies are in bloom.” Sokka nodded, taking Zuko’s words to heart. 

“I will. Thank you, and have a great day yourself.” With that Sokka turned and ran the direction Zuko had pointed out. He found Aang and Toph waiting patiently while Katara pacing back and forth worrying about him. Aang stood with a wide smile seeing the Sokka had found them again. 

“Where the heck have you been? We were worried sick about you. We thought some Sick dude had taken you man.” He took Sokka into a tight embrace. Katara and Toph join in. 

“I’m sorry, I had stopped to look at a painting then you guys were just gone. But a nice guy told me where you guys were.” Aang pulled away with a confused expression. 

“What guy? Us and our guide are the only people here.” Sokka furrowed his brows. 

“No he saw you guys in here. He overheard that I was missing in this place and came to find me. He was like a worker or something.” Katara and Aang looked at eachother. 

“What was he dressed like? Did you get a name?” Sokka bit his lip at Toph’s questions. 

“He was dressed like those historical paintings. Like I said; A worker. Giving an Idea of how they dressed or something. And he said his name was Zuko.” 

Katara’s eyes widened looking at Aang in disbelief. 

“Sokka, no one dresses in historical clothing here. They can’t in order to keep them intact.” She explains, a cold feeling creeping up Sokka’s spine. 

“Then why was he?” His mouth felt dry already knowing the answer but not wanting to believe it. 

“You said his name was Zuko right?” Aang looks behind Sokka like he was looking for someone. The cold creeping up Sokka’s spine slowly over took his whole body, the hair on his arms and neck standing on end. 

“Well yeah, I wanted to know who he was so I could thank him.” 

“Sokka, the son of king Ozai was named Zuko. Ozai murdered his son out of cold blood by setting his room on fire in the night.” Katara explained. A chill racked Sokka’s body violently listening to his sister. 

“No! But he was real! He even touched my shoulder! I swear on my life I’m not lying to you.” 

“I know Sokka, but Zuko is a dead prince. Ghost don’t exist even you, yourself said that.” Aang tried to reason. Toph took a seat just listening to the go back and forth. 

“But- I swear. I swear I saw him.” 

“Saw who?” An older woman's voice asked. All turned to look at her. “Who did you see Sweetheart?” 

“I’m sorry, my brother is convinced he saw Prince Zuko in the halls. He’s been up really late this last week please excuse us ma’am.” Sokka growled in his throat as his Sister continued not to believe him. Looking to Aang for help. But only received a torn look. Like he wasn’t sure what to do. 

“I swear on my mother, I saw him in the flesh, he even touched my shoulder. He wasn’t a ghost I swear on it.” The woman nodded listening. 

“Calm child. I believe you.” Sokka smiled wide, turning to meet Katara’s eyes. 

“Someone believes me, see!” 

“How did you find Zuko dear?” Sokka thought for a second. 

“I was lost in the halls, I was sorta starting to get scared and then he put his hand on my shoulder and asked if I was lost.” He explains. The woman nods. 

“And where in the halls had you been?” 

“Uhh, over by the french doors where there were the two staircases.” Aang visibly shivered knowing already where Sokka had been. “Why?” The woman bowed her head, shivering. 

“Just outside of those doors was where Prince Zuko died from his wounds. He had begged his Sister for help, but she only watched him die. His last words had been “Are you lost?” As if asking his sister if she was insane like their father.” Sokka starred with wide eyes taking steps back. 

Later that night Sokka could not sleep. Along with their tour he and his friends had rented a night in the guest rooms of the palace. All he could think about was how real Zuko had been. Suddenly the door to his and Aang’s room opened slowly. Sokka looked at Aang who slept peacefully with his back to Sokka. Frantically Sokka looked at the door ready to run, but stopped, an urge to follow an unknown feeling overtaking him. Rising from his bed Sokka padded out of the room and out into the halls. Walking to a place unknown to him like he’d walked this path a million times before. 

When he had realized what he was doing he found himself into front of those same french doors. Sokka felt that familiar old feeling creeping up his spine as if eyes were on the back of his neck. He turns to find Zuko standing there looking at him. “Zuko..” 

“I’m sorry if I scared you. I just had to see you again Sokka.” The prince smiled stepping forward, looking alive. But Sokka knew the lie that that was. 

“Y-you’re dead.” Sokka managed, but couldn’t find it in himself to step away from the handsome man. “Why me?”

Zuko sighs looking away from Sokka. “Because you can see me for who I am and not what I had been in death.” The prince says, sadness in his voice. “But you’ve always been able to see things haven’t you? Things that no one else saw.” How had he- 

“What?”

“You see things no one else can see, monsters, ghosts, voices, you have imaginary friends all throughout your childhood.”

“How do you-”

“I’m not finished. You always felt drawn to knights in armor, Kings and Queens, stories of dragons or kingdoms.” Zuko was inches away from him now. Sokka shivered in fear not knowing how Zuko knew all of this. “Do you know why I was murdered by my father?” He thought hard but could not answer him, curious as to why. Shaking his head, Sokka looks up at Zuko once again. “My father found out I was in love with a young knight that was ordered to protect me.” Sokka took a step back, meeting the french doors. “My father killed me after he made me watch my lover lose his head. I think you know now why you are seeing me like this Sokka.” A tear slipped down his cheek looking away from Zuko. 

“I was that past lover.. But how did you know?” Sokka cried softly, letting Zuko wipe the tears away. 

“It’s funny how you can recognise the one you best love by their eyes. I could never forget your eyes. Even when you come back in every lifetime, and you see me. Your eyes are always the same blue sea.” With that Zuko smiled, leaning down and pressing a freezing kiss into Sokka’s forehead. “I could never forget you even if you forget me and you have to meet me all over again. I will never forget you.” 

“Will I remember you in the morning?” Sokka asked softly, tears rolling down his cheeks. Giving a grim face, Zuko shook his head. 

“I’m afraid not love, but when you come to visit me in the next life I will be here waiting for you.” Sokka nods, understanding. 

“Could you at least walk me back to bed?” With that Zuko nodded, and walked Sokka back to his room through the sleeping palace. Stopping at the side of his bed. Watching as Sokka got in and covered up. Looking up at Zuko with teary eyes. “Goodnight Sokka, i wish you pleasant dreams.” 

“Night Zu. Thank you.” 

“Sokka! Sokka wake up.” Aang shouted from across the room waking Sokka who groaned. “Dude we’ll be late from the driver if you don’t get up man.” 

“Gee, im getting up, don’t get your pretty purple panties in a twist.” He groaned sitting up, looking at Aang. 

“Hey! I’ll have you know that my pretty purple panties are not in a twist, and that you stink and need a shower. You’re suffocating me man.” There was nothing like waking up to Aang. So optimistic. “So did you see that ghost again?” 

“What ghost?” 

Aang turned confused. “Oh so you’re denying the whole thing now? You were on your bullshit yesterday about it all. Katara thought you were gonna scratch her eyes out over it.” Sokka just looked at his friend not knowing what he was even talking about. 

“Dude whatever you just smoked, I think you should stop it. You are starting to make up realities.” Grabbing his clothes and a towel, Sokka walked past Aang into the restroom to take a shower.

“I’m not smoking anything! You were the one who was on something yesterday. You swore you saw the fucking dead prince.” His voice raised. Starting to get upset now. Sokka looked back at his friend. 

“Look, Aang, I don’t know what you’re going on about but whatever it is, I clearly don’t know what it is. So drop it before you get pissed and I have to help you clean up your nosebleed man.” Aang huffed and plopped down onto his bed 

“Yeah whatever, just go shower. Forget it.” He pouted with crossed arms. 

They came out meeting Katara and Toph outside of the palace. Katara looked vaguely upset, ignoring Sokka like the plague. Cuddling up to Aang asking how he slept. An unknown sadness welling in the pit of his stomach as he packed his bags into the trunk of the taxi. Toph turned to him “You gonna miss you little romance with the dead prince?” 

“Just leave it be Toph. I’m done with it.” He says softly, genuinely upset by the whole situation. 

“Jeez, did you really love the guy?” 

“Toph!”

“Fine, fine, sorry. I’ll leave you to PMS alone then.” She hops off the bumper and walks over to the door hopping in the front seat of the taxi. 

“I’m not- ARGH!” Sokka slams the trunk shut with a groan and rests his head against his forearms. His body shaking. 

“Sokka, man, are you doing alright?” Aang asked, rubbing his back. No, he wasn’t alright, he was far from alright. 

“I just want to go home and see Suki. I’m so done with this trip.” Aang sighs and pats Sokka’s back softly. 

“I’m sorry we were giving you shit, we’ll stop teasing. I’m sorry you hated the trip. I really thought you’d like it since you like knights' stuff.” Sokka looked at him and sighed. 

“No I loved it man, I just hate what’s going on. Can we just go?” Katara got into the taxi leaving Aang and Sokka to get in next. 

“Yeah buddy, you’re gonna be okay though right?”

“Yeah I’ll be fine once we are far away from here.” They get in the taxi together. Taking out his phone and earbuds, he puts them in and turns on some Music to get his mind off of everything. Whole lotta love blasting in his ears. Sokka watches as they move away from the palace. His tired eyes look over the architecture, but stop dead as they spot a man standing in a large window wearing old royal robes. Watching them drive away with a grim expression, waving slowly before vanishing into thin air. Sokka almost couldn’t believe his eyes as he sat up straight looking again. Maybe he had seen a ghost after all. 


End file.
